Cassava Soda Bread

Tanya Eisenwasser

Print Recipe

A quick yeast-free loaf made with cassava flour. Slices well for toast or sandwiches.

Prep 10 min

Cook 45 min

Serves 10

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cassava flour
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 fresh eggs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup room temperature filtered water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line a loaf pan (about 9x5 inches) with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the long sides for easy lifting.

Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and sea salt.
2. Make a well in the center.

Mix Wet Ingredients

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and apple cider vinegar.
2. Pour the wet mixture into the well in the dry ingredients.
3. Stir with a spatula just until combined. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
4. Let the batter rest for 3 to 5 minutes so the flaxseed can absorb some of the liquid.

Shape and Score

1. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
2. Smooth the top with a wet spatula.
3. Use a sharp knife to score a shallow cross or single line across the top.

Bake

1. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
2. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack.
4. Cool completely before slicing. The texture firms up as it cools.

Tips & Substitutions

• Cool fully before slicing. Cassava bread is delicate when warm and slices much cleaner once it has cooled all the way.
• Use a fresh, lightly colored cassava flour. Older flour can taste bitter and affect the rise.
• Swap olive oil for melted coconut oil if you prefer. Both work well at this temperature.
• The apple cider vinegar is what activates the baking soda. Don't skip it. ACV is fermented and individual tolerance varies. A small amount is tolerated by some. If you react to it, distilled white vinegar (still acidic, but without the fermentation byproducts) works better for some people.
• Add a teaspoon of dried herbs like rosemary or thyme to the dry ingredients for a savory loaf, if you tolerate them. Use garlic powder only if you know you do well with it.
• Use freshly ground flaxseed meal or store it in the freezer. Ground flax can go rancid quickly, which can affect both flavor and tolerance.
• Serving ideas. Toast a slice and top with herb butter, or serve alongside simple roast chicken or a bowl of chicken soup.

Why This Works

Cassava flour. A gluten-free flour from the cassava root that is naturally low in histamine and generally well tolerated. It gives the loaf a soft, sliceable crumb without wheat or yeast.

Baking soda with apple cider vinegar. Skipping yeast removes a common trigger. The baking soda reacts with a small amount of apple cider vinegar to give the loaf its rise. Apple cider vinegar is a fermented ingredient and individual tolerance varies, so use a small amount and test your response.

Flaxseed meal. Adds structure and helps bind the loaf in place of gluten. Generally well tolerated and adds fiber.

Eggs. Eggs themselves contain no histamine, though egg whites can trigger reactions in some people. They give this bread its structure and lift.

Olive oil. A stable cooking fat that is generally well tolerated and adds moisture without dairy.

Storage

Best eaten the same day it is baked. Slice what you need and freeze the rest right away in a sealed bag, with parchment between slices. Toast slices straight from frozen. Leftovers can accumulate histamine, so freezing promptly is better than keeping the loaf at room temperature for several days.

Not sure if an ingredient is safe? Histamine Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with histamine ratings to help you cook with confidence.